Swimming pool cleaning device



July 28, 1953 DULAK 2,646,889

' SWIMMING POOL CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb. 15. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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July 28, 1953 A, ULA 2,646,889

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING DEVICE I Filed Feb 15, 19 50 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly. 4

1/0 August Du/ak X g INVENTOR.

, u i- QM By gum A. DULAK SWIMMING POOL CLEANING DEVICE July 28, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 15. 1950 Fig. 6

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Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFF 110E SWIMMING POOL CLEANING DEVICE August *Dulak', West; Tex.

@Applica'tion Eebruary'15, 1950; SerialNo. 144,321

' GClaims. (Cl. 210-207) ,This invention relates, toimprovements in devices .for cleaning the interior of a swimming pool.

.t-Anobiect of thisinvention-is-to brush the bottom and sides of a pool and at-the same time spray water; under; pressure. in the region which, is being brushed so that the sediment and other. foreign matter which clings, to theinside surfaces of the pool -1na .'.-be,-l0osened.

Another object of .thisinventionis to. draw'the loosened foreign-mattersfrom the region of. the

brushes by. means -of:- a suction .pump which is carried by a float, said suction pump being-,con-

nected by means oi anetwork oflines with a' bonnet or housing= .which accommodates the housing and other mechanism .torming thev .clean inghead; n

Figure: 4 is a transverse view of ,the structure shownin Figure 3 =Fignre 5. is a fragmentary end view of the mechanism of Figure 3;.

tions: omitted;

f-Figurei 7 is a-longitudinal sectional viewof .a modification oftheinvention;

2 Figure 8 isan enlargedsectionaldetail: of con-H structionshowing the-means of -fiatingly1mo,unting the brushes inthe housing ofthe embodiment of-Figure f7 and Eigure 9 is a fragmentary detailof constructiOIlssShOWil'lE- the internal makeup. of. the. swimming pool side cleaningbrush.

JI'he instant invention is primarily. designed for thepurposeof cleaning thebottom and'sidesof a. swimming "pool while the.water. is therein. Al-

though thewateriof aswimming poolis constantly treated, somewater exhausting andinew chemical-laden -,Wat.er placed, therein, periojdic cleaning ofthe-pool isnecessary.

1334. utility. of thednstann device, the. walls. and bottom. of the pool may be scoured "and cleaned,

. ;Figure 6::isa :top view of the. deviceiwithpor without emptying the pool. Reference. is 'first made to Figures 7 and 8 wherein one form of the invention is illustrated in part. There is a' housing it which opens downwardly and'which has aisubstantially rectangular. pipe structure at the lower edgesjthereof. This pipe structure forms a water manifold l 2, which serves as a spray head, and consists of four lengths of pipe connected together at'their ends by means of elbows. -A number of holes are provided in each pipe forming this manifold so that the water may beemitted forcibly. By turning the various pipes in the elbowsfthe angle at which the'spray is emitted through the holes may be adjusted or regulated.

At spaced places along the top of the housing is there are sleeves it '(Figure' 8) held-in place by means of collars I 3 'which' are adjustably fixed, as by set screws 13; to the sleeves. A rod 20 is passed through the bore of the sleeve and hasa stopnut 22 at the threaded upper-portion thereof. A spring 2 isdisposed in concentric relation with the-rod 2i and engages the-lower edge of the sleeve I l. The lower-part of said spring 24- rests ona block 26 which-is fixed to'the upper surfaceof a brush 28. Two of these assemblies are provided for each brush. There are threebrushesillustrated in'Figure 7. However, any number which is deemed practicalmaybe employed. By this construction, the'brushes are capable-offloating movement. They are also capablebf being raised and lowered, depending upon the amount of bristles which-aredesired exposed'through the lower open end of the-housing I0.

'=A pair of vertical guide rods 30 and 32, respectiVeIyy'riseirom the sides'of theiwater manifold 12 and are passed through-bearings, identical'to those shown in Figure l. The purpose" of the guide rodsis the same as the guide rods in the embodiment of Figure l and will be detailed in describing that embodiment.

A .water inlet line'tfi is secured in.communication witha conventionalnfitting 38 which in turn communicates with the interior of the water manifold 12. Apipefittingt0 whichis of'conventional description also extends from the fitting 38 in order :to releasably connect with a swimming; pool side cleaning brush I 132.

:A suction line it is connected with thenetworh of pipes generally indicated at 46 and which ter- -minate with the upper part of theinterior of 3 thereof and a number of small orifices 5t communicate the passage with the bristles. This brush is adapted to connect at its lower end to the fitting 40 so that the water under pressure from the inlet 36 passes therethrough.

If it is found necessary to support the brush 42, an adjustable brace may be secured to the brush body and to one of the bearings 65.

Brackets 53, 5 1, 55, and 56 extend from the four corners of the housing iii and have wheels 51, 58, 59 and 60, respectively, carried thereby; These wheels are for the purpose of riding on the floor of the swimming pool to constantly space the bottom of the housing and the Water manifold therefrom. The wheels may be of the adjustable type, that it is, the type which are carried on a single post which is vertically adjustable.

Reference is now made to the embodiment of Figure 1, wherein a large amount of the structure involved therein will be used in connection with the embodiment of Figure '7. The brush E2 is an optional equipment to be used with both or neither of the embodiments. The float 62 is to be employed with both forms of the invention. This float has an upper plate 6 2 disposed thereon which supports brackets having bearings 85 and 66. 'These bearings accommodate the vertical posts 30 and 32 and also accommodate the vertical posts 39' and 32 of the embodiment of Figure 1. A suction pump Si is disposed on the float, as is a pressure pump 68. The pressure pump has a conduit 78 extending therefrom which is connected with the liquid inlet line 35. A motor 12 is mounted on the float and operates the pump 68 as well as the pump 67 through a pair of clutches 1'4 and Hi. Said pump 67 has a suction line or pipe 18 connected therewith which is secured in communication with the line i l which is identical in structure and function to the line 4 3. The network of pipes 46' communicates with the interior of the housing iii, as does the network 46 communicate with the housing it.

A winch 80 is disposed on the float and is of the manually operable type. The cable 82 is secured at one end to an eye 84 which is secured to the guide rod 30. The cable 85 is secured to the eye 86 which is fixed to the guide rod 32. Idler pulleys 8! and 88 which are carried by the brackets have the cables 82 and 85 entrained therearound. Upon operation of the winch, the guide rods are raised and lowered, thereby lifting the entire assembly of cleaning head from the bottom of the pool. This identical structure and operation takes place in connection with the first embodiment of the invention.

The embodiment of Figure 1 differs from that of Figure 7 in the specific structure shown best inFigures 3-5. In lieu of a number of brushes, there is one rotary brush 9G having an axle 92 passed therethrough. The ends of the axle pass through slots (unnumbered) in the sides of the housing I and are carried by pillow blocks 94 and 9B. bolts 9'! and 98 (Figure having nut assemblies I90 and II]! which react on springs E02 and 23.

These springs are carried by an angle bracket Hi4,

thereby floatingly mounting one end of the brush 90. Each end of the brush is floatingly mounted in this manner.

When this embodiment of the invention is put into use, the rotary brush is operated by means of a flexible cable N16 which is actuated by the motor 12 through a suitable gearing arrangement.

These pillow blocks are suspended on 4 The cable 106 is simply fastened to one end of the shaft or axle 92.

Reference to Figure 4 shows that a pan H0 is disposed around the rotary brush 90 and on the interior of the housin In. This pan has an upturned lip H2 adjacent the brush, thereby forming a collector for refuse and other foreign matter and also tending to keep the bristles of the brush clean.

One of the advantages of the described devices is that the housings may be made any practical size, for example, 4, 6, 8 feet or even wider, whereby a large area is cleaned at one time. Moreover, the pool being cleaned need not be a swimming pool. It may be a well, tank, cistern, or other liquid retaining body, as an earthen tank found in pastures. Accordingly, the manifold need not necessarily be rectangular when the device is to be used primarily for cleaning circular or other shaped liquid receptacles. The manifold and other pertinent structure may be circular, elliptical, oblong, or any other shape, depending on the particular shape of the liquid receptacle which is to be most frequently cleaned.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a cleaning apparatus for a swimming pool, a housing having an open bottom, a float having brackets secured thereto, guide rods secured to said housing and bearings secured to said brackets, said rods being vertically slidable in said bearings, a spray head secured to said housing to loosen sediment from the pool, means for supplying liquid under pressure to said spray head, a brush, means resiliently and rotatably securing said brush to and within said housing, a motor disposed on said float, suction means to discharge sediment from said housing, means drivingly connecting said motor and said brush, a Winch disposed on said float and cables wound on said winch and secured to said guide rods for raising said housing when said winch is 0perated.

2. In a cleaning apparatus for a'swimming pool, a housing having an open bottom, a float having brackets secured thereto, guide rods secured to said housing and bearings secured to said brackets, said rods being vertically slidable in said bearings, a spray head secured to said housing to loosen sediment from the pool, means for supplying liquid under pressure to said spray head, a brush, means resiliently and rotatably securing said brush to and within said housing, a motor disposed on said float, suction means to discharge sediment from said housing, means drivingly connecting said motor and said brush, a winch disposed on said float and cables wound on said winch and secured to said guide rods for raising said housing when said winch is operated, a pool side cleaning brush having a water passage therethrough and a plurality of dispensing orifices communicating with said passage, and means connecting said side cleaning brush to said spray head in angulated relation thereto so that said passage communicates fastening said housing to said float, a brush disposed in said housing, a spray head connected to said housing, means interconnecting said pressure pump and said spray head to supply water under pressure to said spray head, said spray head having a plurality of orifices therein for forcibly emitting Water therethrough, a pipe connecting said suction pump and said housing to withdraw foreign matter from said housing when such matter has been loosened by the combined action of said brush and the water emitted from the spray head.

4. The combination of claim 3 and said means connecting said housing and said float including a pair of rods, bearings carried by said float, said rods passing through said bearings and connecting said housing to said float, and means on said float connected to said rods for raising and lowering the housing in the pool.

5. The combination of claim 4, said means on said float connected to said rods including a winch having cables secured to said rods.

6. In a cleaning apparatus for a swimming pool, a float having a motor thereon, a suction pump and a pressure pump disposed on said float, means drivingly connecting said motor with said suction pump and said pressure pump, a housing having an open bottom, means slidably fastening said housing to said float, a brush disposed in said housing, a spray head connected to said housing, a conduit interconnecting said 6 pressure pump and said spray head to forcibly emit water through said spray head, a pipe interconnecting said suction pump and said housing to draw sediment from the housing after such sediment has been loosened by the combined action of the brush and the water emitted from the spray head, a side cleaning brush having a passage therein and a plurality of orifices communicating with said passage, and means connecting said side cleaning brush to said spray head in angulated relation thereto so that said passage communicates with the interior of said spray head.

AUGUST DULAK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 784,583 Murray Mar. 14, 1905 1,889,603 Johnston Nov. 29, 1932 2,003,215 Nadig May 28, 1935 2,141,811 Everson Dec. 27, 1938 2,243,576 Otto May 27, 1941 2,367,997 Chambers Jan. 23, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 33,885 Switzerland June 5, 1905 

